red the strength of four to spread the tarpaulin in the wind and
make it all secure, but they were a strong four and the task was quickly
done. Meanwhile the turbulence of air and water were increasing. The waves
on the river rose higher and higher and the wind drove the foam in their
faces. The thunder, no longer a mutter, became one terrific peal after
another, and the lightning burned across the great stream in flash after
flash.

"I sp'ose it's jest the same ez bein' at sea," said Sol between crashes.
"I don't know much choice between bein' drowned in the Mississippi, which
I know is muddy, an' the sea, which they say is salt."

"No danger of either!" said Paul cheerfully, "but I'm glad this is such a
wide river. So long as we can keep the boat straight there is not much
risk of being driven into anything."

Then everyone jumped suddenly to his feet. There was a tremendous crash of
thunder louder than all the rest, and the whole river swam for a moment in
a burning glare. The lightning seemed to have struck upon the surface of
the water not far from them. Then, when the lightning and the thunder
passed, they heard only the wind and saw only the darkness.

"This ain't so easy ez it looked," said Shif'less Sol in a plaintive
tone. "It's nice ridin' on a boat, but if the lightning should strike 'The
Gall-yun,' whar are we? I'd a heap rather be on the land."

"That must have been its climax," said Paul, "and if so look out for the
rain."

Paul was right. The lightning began to decline in intensity and the
thunder sank in volume. The wind died rapidly. Yet there was no increase
of light, and presently they heard afar a rushing sound. Great drops beat
like hail upon their tarpaulin, and all except the man who was steering
snuggled to cover. The steersman happened to be Shif'less Sol this time,
and he wrapped one of the new Spanish blankets tightly around him from
heel to throat.

"Now let it come," murmured the indomitable man.

It took him at his word and it came with a sweep and a roar. The heavens
opened and a deluge fell out. The thunder and lightning ceased entirely
and from the black skies the rain poured in amazing quantities. Now and
then all except the steersman were forced to bail out the boat, but mostly
they kept to cover under their tarpaulin, which was a good one.

Shif'less Sol held the good ship "The Galleon," in the middle of the
current, and all the time he strained his eyes ahead for floating d